A Better Way to Pour Beer (It’s All in the Tilt!)

There is no one perfect speed or style of properly pouring beer: Whether you opt for slow and steady or fast and furious from a bottle or tap, or even dispensing from a nitrogenized can, you can achieve a well-rounded pour several ways.

Tilt that glass to a 45° angle! Photo by

Mark Weinberg

However, in my opinion, the best all-around technique is a simple motion to employ with whatever vessel you’re using. All you have to do is tilt your glass at a 45-degree angle and pour confidently, gradually bringing the glass upright and finishing with a final gentle splash directly into the center of the liquid. Be sure to leave some room in your glass for sniffing—you don’t necessarily need to fill it to the rim. (Unless you’re really gunning for the comedic foam mustache. Sometimes you might be!)

Note that some beers are bottle-conditioned with added yeast, which can form sediment in the bottom of the bottle, or along the length of the bottle if stored on its side. If you prefer to not drink the sediment, be sure to be extra gentle when finishing your pour so that the sediment stays inside. Otherwise, you’ll wind up with a murky glass of yeasty beer. If you do get some yeast in the glass, don’t worry, it won’t hurt you. In fact, some people like consuming it because it’s full of nutrients and probiotics that will make your gut a happy camper.

We’re posting quick takes on beer trivia all week long for you to drop at your next gathering, date, or dinner party. For more of our beer content, head here.

This article was written by Justin Kennedy from Food52 and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.